The Indianapolis Colts are really up against it this season as they try to snap a five-year playoff drought, avoid major firings of their head coach and general manager, and recreate what they had with Daniel Jones before it all came crashing down last season.
It won't be easy, especially considering they are widely considered only the third-best team in their division, while their AFC South rivals, the Houston Texans and Jacksonville Jaguars, sit at the top. Again, the Colts are really up against it, but that doesn't mean nothing good can come out of this season, no matter what happens.
For Jones, it may be more important for him to not just bounce back after tearing his Achilles last season, but to prove that he can be a franchise starting quarterback and that the first 11 games last year weren't a string of flukes. What will help Jones is who he's throwing the football to. What will help Jones is Colts tight end Tyler Warren, and Jones is already pretty high on his second-year weapon.
Indianapolis Colts' QB Daniel Jones hypes up Tyler Warren before second season begins
If anyone needs to stand tall, stand firm, and come through this season, it's Warren, who already had his breakout season last year in his rookie campaign. Warren exceeded whatever the Colts' expectations of him were as a rookie, hauling in 817 yards on 76 receptions and four touchdowns.
Warren ranked fifth among tight ends last season as a rookie and was one of only five tight ends to reach and surpass the 800-yard mark. Warren was one of the Colts' only bright spots last year, and they are expecting him to be that again, but only brighter and even better.
Jones needs Warren to become one of the NFL's best tight ends this season, not because he has little faith in Alec Pierce or Josh Downs as his primary wide receiver targets, but because Warren is the perfect get-a-quarterback-out-of-trouble type of guy, while also being an outstanding target.
Had Jones not gone down last season, Warren would have exceeded the 1,000-yard mark, joining Arizona Cardinals tight end Trey McBride (1,239 yards). Warren will have to come up big again, and even bigger, to give Jones that one more added weapon to get the football to.
If you ask Jones, he has no doubts Warren will be that guy. Furthermore, he believes Warren is already looking better than last season.
"I wouldn't say there's huge differences," Jones said while appearing on the Pat McAfee Show. "I think he's just a guy who gets better when he has a rep or has a certain play or he gets a certain look, he's someone who remembers it and does it from here on out and does it differently and learns from it and makes progress. He's built up a number of reps and just a really smart football player. Knows where the space is, knows how to use leverage and get open. I mean, he's huge, for one, he makes contested catches, all that stuff. It's a lot of the stuff he did last year, I'd say he's doing it even better so far this year."
Warren's development is looking good, which is great for Jones and great for the Colts. Will it make them the favorites to surprise their division and knock off the Jaguars or Texans? Likely not, but another solid season from Warren proves that Indianapolis has its tight end of the future. If Jones sticks around, Warren gives him a reliable target past this season.
What bodes well for Warren is the absence of Michael Pittman Jr., whom the Colts traded away this summer. With him gone, the door opens even wider for Warren to get the football thrown his way more often. If he doesn't hit 1,000 yards this season, it should be a shock.
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